Impact of bioconversion on matrix strain response of coal reservoirs: Part 2-Reservoir insights
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Metal fatigue under stress and thermal cycling is a principal mode of failure in gas turbine engine hot section components such as turbine blades and disks and combustor liners. Designing for fatigue is subject to considerable uncertainty, e.g., scatter in cycles to failure, available fatigue test data and operating environment data, uncertainties in the models used to predict stresses, etc. Methods of analyzing fatigue test data for probabilistic design purposes are summarized. The general strain life as well as homo- and hetero-scedastic models are considered. Modern probabilistic design theory is reviewed and examples are presented which illustrate application to reliability analysis of gas turbine engine components.
When designing buildings with reinforced concrete that are planned to resist dynamic loads it is necessary to calculate this structural behavior under operational static and emergency impact and blast loads. Calculations of the structures under shock-wave loads can be performed by solving dynamic equations that do not consider static loads. Due to this fact the calculation of reinforced concrete frame under a simultaneous static and dynamic load in full 3d settings becomes a very non trivial and resource consuming problem. This problem can be split into two tasks. The first one is a shock-wave problem that can be solved using software package RANET-3, which allows solving the problem using finite elements method adapted for dynamic task. This method calculates strain-stress state of the material and its dynamic destruction, which is considered as growth and consolidation of micro defects under loading. On the second step the results of the first step are taken as input parameters for quasi static calculation of simultaneous static and dynamic load using finite elements method in AMP Civil Engineering-11.
Ferroelectric materials exhibit coupled degrees of freedom and possess a switchable electric polarization coupled to strain, making them good piezoelectrics and enabling numerous devices including nonvolatile memories, actuators, and sensors. Moreover, novel photovoltaic effects are encountered through the interplay of electric polarization with the material optical properties. Consequently, light-induced deformation in ferroelectrics, or photostriction, combining photovoltaic and converse piezoelectric effects, is under investigation in the quest for multifunctional materials. Using time-resolved X-ray diffraction, the first control of ultrafast photoinduced strain is demonstrated through in situ tuning of the polarization state in ferroelectric-based devices. Both the magnitude and the sign of the photoinduced strain strongly depend on the transient photoinduced change of the internal electric field in the ferroelectric layer, and can be actively engineered to achieve two distinct remanent photostrictive responses. These results provide fundamental insight into light–matter interaction in ferroelectrics and exciting new avenues for materials functionality engineering.
Motivated by recent advances in manufacturing, the design of materials is the focal point of interest in the material research community. One of the critical challenges in this field is finding optimal material microstructure for a desired macroscopic response. This work presents a computational method for the mesoscale-level design of particulate composites for an optimal macroscale-level response. The method relies on a custom shape optimization scheme to find the extrema of a nonlinear cost function subject to a set of constraints. Three key “modules” constitute the method: multiscale modeling, sensitivity analysis, and optimization. Multiscale modeling relies on a classical homogenization method and a nonlinear NURBS-based generalized finite element scheme to efficiently and accurately compute the structural response of particulate composites using a nonconformal discretization. A three-parameter isotropic damage law is used to model microstructure-level failure. An analytical sensitivity method is developed to compute the derivatives of the cost/constraint functions with respect to the design variables that control the microstructure's geometry. The derivation uncovers subtle but essential new terms contributing to the sensitivity of finite element shape functions and their spatial derivatives. Several structural problems are solved to demonstrate the applicability, performance, and accuracy of the method for the design of particulate composites with a desired macroscopic nonlinear stress-strain response.
Microalgae present a path to ameliorate problems associated with climate change via capture and reduction of CO2 to sustainable fuels and chemicals. Picochlorum is a genus of algae recently recognized for potential application in these regards due to its high productivity, thermotolerance, and halotolerance. Foundational genetic tools have recently been established in this genus. However, at present, genetic markers are limited, hindering genetic throughput and trait stacking approaches. To expand the suite of genetic tools and markers available for this genus, we sought to heterologously express the phosphite dehydrogenase (ptxD) gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri WM88 in both the nucleus and chloroplast of Picochlorum renovo and Picochlorum celeri. Additionally, the resultant strains allow for utilization of phosphite as a sole phosphorous source and as a nuclear and plastidial selection marker for genetic engineering. Growth analysis indicated comparable growth and composition when transgenic algae were grown in media containing phosphite as a sole phosphorus source, as compared to the conventionally used phosphate. Combined, these results expand the genetic toolbox available to the Picochlorum genus and present a potential crop protection and biocontainment strategy.
Here, we developed a flexible toolkit for combinatorial screening in Saccharomyces cerevisiae , which generates large libraries of cells, each uniquely barcoded to mark a combination of DNA elements. This interaction sequencing platform (iSeq 2.0) includes genomic landing pads that assemble combinations through sequential integration of plasmids or yeast mating, 15 barcoded plasmid libraries containing split selectable markers (URA3 AI , KanMX AI , HphMX AI , and NatMX AI ), and an array of ~24,000 “double-barcoder” strains that can make existing yeast libraries iSeq compatible. Various DNA elements are compatible with iSeq: DNA introduced on integrating plasmids, engineered genomic modifications, or entire genetic backgrounds. DNA element libraries are modular and interchangeable, and any two libraries can be combined, making iSeq capable of performing many new combinatorial screens by short-read sequencing.
Damage evolution in engineering metal alloys at the grain scale exhibits significant microstructural heterogeneity and anisotropy. These heterogeneities create local hotspots for stress and strain localization, leading to void nucleation. Crystal orientation influences the active slip systems around voids, affecting lattice rotation and potentially forming discontinuities. At low triaxiality, voids may change shape due to lower stress, rotation, elongation, and coalescence. At high triaxiality, the correlation between crystal orientation and void growth rate becomes stronger, resembling the behavior observed in isolated single crystals. Therefore, understanding the effects of crystal orientation, heterogeneous strain, and defect evolution is crucial for single crystal fracture characterization. Here, in this work, a coupled phase-field damage (PFD) and crystal plasticity (CP) model is implemented within a finite element framework to analyze crystal deformation and failure. The CP method employs a dislocation density-based constitutive model, while intragranular failure is modeled using an anisotropic PFD method. The PFD model considers both the stored energy due to elastic stretching and the energy release due to defect formation and crack formation. A single crystal Al2219 with an intracrystalline spherical void is chosen to analyze fracture. The study finds that fracture propagation is strongly correlated with crystal orientations. This coupled CP-PFD model provides accurate failure prediction in crystalline materials by incorporating the effects of crystal orientations and existing voids. This study demonstrates how the local microstructure and defects influence plastic deformation and failure mechanisms in metal alloys.
Poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate) (PHO) is a medium-chain-length PHA with low crystallinity and high elongation to break ratio, unlike the brittle short-chain-PHAs like PHB. These properties make PHO a promising candidate for industrial and biomedical applications. In this paper, we demonstrated the production of PHO in Escherichia coli from a renewable and inexpensive glycerol feedstock by engineering fatty acid synthesis and β-oxidation to create a pool of 2,3-octenoyl-CoAs. In this base strain, E. coli ΔfadRABIJ, an (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase (phaJ) and a PHA synthase (phaC) were expressed to produce PHO. Bioprospecting phaJ and phaC homologs from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fadD homolog from Pseudomonas putida implicated a combination of phaJ2, phaC2, and Pp fadD genes yielded the highest PHO content from exogenously fed octanoate. Finally, when a single copy of a previously described C 8 -specific thioesterase mutant CpFatB1.2-M4-287 was integrated into the chromosome of E. coli ΔfadRABIJ, the resulting E. coli strain NHL18 was capable of producing 3.69 ± 0.146 g/L of octanoic acid. Subsequently, the integration of PHA synthesis genes in NHL18 resulting in strain SM23 allowed the cell to accumulate 15 % cell dry weight of PHO with a final titer of 1.54 ± 0.234 g/L from glycerol in fed-batch fermentation.
Abstract The fitness effects of all possible mutations available to an organism largely shape the dynamics of evolutionary adaptation. Yet, whether and how this adaptive landscape changes over evolutionary times, especially upon ecological diversification and changes in community composition, remains poorly understood. We sought to fill this gap by analyzing a stable community of two closely related ecotypes (“L” and “S”) shortly after they emerged within the E. coli Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE). We engineered genome-wide barcoded transposon libraries to measure the invasion fitness effects of all possible gene knockouts in the coexisting strains as well as their ancestor, for many different, ecologically relevant conditions. We find consistent statistical patterns of fitness effect variation across both genetic background and community composition, despite the idiosyncratic behavior of individual knockouts. Additionally, fitness effects are correlated with evolutionary outcomes for a number of conditions, possibly revealing shifting patterns of adaptation. Together, our results reveal how ecological and epistatic effects combine to shape the adaptive landscape in a nascent ecological community.
Bulk strain solitary waves in nonlinearly elastic thin-walled cylindrical shells with variable geometrical and physical parameters are studied, and equation for the longitudinal strain component with the variable coefficients is derived. A conservative finite difference scheme is proposed, and the results of numerical simulation of the strain soliton evolution in a shell with the abrupt variations of cross section and physical properties of the material are presented.
Vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) is of interest for adaptive electronic applications such as neuromorphic neuristor devices and variable emissivity or tunable thermal control materials, thanks to its key property—a metal–insulator transition (MIT) at 68 °C that is accompanied by a dramatic change in electrical and optical properties. To improve performance in these roles, it is critical to develop approaches to engineer transport properties and the MIT behavior. While many documented techniques exist to modulate the MIT and film resistivities via lattice strain and chemical doping, less is known about the effects of ion irradiation on the intrinsic properties of VO 2 , despite the ability to control the spatial distribution of irradiation beams and the prevalence of high energy ion implantation in the semiconductor industry. The impact of irradiation of different acceleration energies on the responses of VO 2 is of specific interest, as charged particle energy generally impacts both the resulting defect profile and corresponding transport behavior. Here, we demonstrate that 2 MeV He ions at equivalent calculated displacements per atom, in two different types of films, can create remarkable changes to the nature of charge transport in VO 2 , especially in the low-temperature insulating phase. Simulation of resulting changes in electrical conductivity reveals that He ion irradiation offers a strategy to increase both oscillation frequency and the signal transmission. These results provide insights into the intentional design of defect populations to modulate transport for neuromorphic VO 2 devices.
Na 3 Co 2 SbO 6 is a promising candidate to realize the Kitaev spin liquid phase since the large Kitaev spin exchange interaction is tunable via the change in electronic structure, such as the trigonal crystal field splitting (Δ TCF ). Here, in this study, we show that the uncorrelated electronic structure of Na 3 Co 2 SbO 6 is rather insensitive to the strain effect due to the low crystal symmetry accompanied by oxygen displacements and the presence of Sb s orbitals. Using density functional theory plus dynamical mean field theory, we find that the correlated electronic structure of Na 3 Co 2 SbO 6 is an orbital-selective Mott insulating state where the trigonal a 1g orbital is insulating due to the nearly full occupation, while other d orbitals behave as typical Mott insulators, resulting in the effective tunability of Δ TCF under the strain effect. The sign change of Δ TCF can occur as the in-plane tensile strain is applied, and the Kitaev spin liquid phase could possibly be realized due to the strongly suppressed Δ TCF under tensile strain. Our results show that the local Co-site symmetry and dynamical correlation effects will play an important role in engineering the novel magnetic phase in this and related materials.
Recent discoveries of topological materials have generated immense interest. The electronic states of these materials have unique topological properties protected by specific symmetries that generate exotic quantum phenomena and technologically useful properties. In topological semimetals, topological phase transitions caused by symmetry-breaking have long been known to be possible, but experimental verification has been impeded by the fact that for most materials, symmetry is a fixed property of the crystal, not an easily tunable parameter. The objectives of the proposed work are (i) to reveal the intimate connection between symmetry and topological electronic states, and (ii) to produce several tunable topological quantum phases which are of both scientific and technological significance. This project focuses on the recently discovered layered topological semimetals WHM (W = Zr or rare earth elements; H = Si, Sn, Sb; M = S, Se, Te). The layered crystal structure, availability of atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) flakes, and rich magnetic states of WHM compounds allow for symmetry engineering via synergistic bulk- and nano-approaches. The PIs plan to modify the crystal symmetry in a controllable manner using strain, and break time-reversal symmetry using magnetic WHMs and via magnetic proximity in heterostructures. This research is based on the combined efforts of bulk single crystal growth, nanodevice fabrication, strain application, theoretical calculations, and quantum transport measurements.
This study investigated the potential for a synthetic consortium of mutualistic terrestrial microbes— comprising the fungi Laccaria bicolor and Serendipita indica alongside bacterial Pseudomonas strains—to influence the growth and productivity of the freshwater microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. The project aimed to determine if microbial complexes engineered to enhance terrestrial plant growth could provide similar growth-promoting benefits or pathogen resistance within an aquatic algal system. Using a quantitative experimental design, C. vulgaris was co-cultured with the microbial mix under controlled laboratory conditions, with growth rates, biomass density, and metabolic activity monitored over a standard cultivation period. The results demonstrated no significant symbiotic relationship or growth enhancement between these terrestrial microbes and the microalgae, as the C. vulgaris maintained independent growth trajectories unaffected by the fungal or bacterial inoculants. We conclude that the specialized mutualisms of these fungi and bacteria are likely niche-specific to vascular plants and do not readily translate to the phycosphere of C. vulgaris. These findings are valuable to synthetic biologists and bioenergy researchers, as they define the functional boundaries of inter-kingdom microbial engineering and underscore the necessity of selecting niche-compatible species when designing consortia for industrial algal cultivation.
Engineering analysis of structural integrity of viscoelastic materials
Experimental aerodynamic investigations were conducted on a .0405 scale representation of the space shuttle orbiter in a 7.75 x 11 foot low speed wind tunnel during the time period March 21, to April 17, 1973. The primary test objectives were to investigate both the aerodynamic and propulsion effects of various air breathing engine systems in free air and in the presence of the ground. The free air portion of this test investigated the aerodynamic effects of engine nacelle number, nacelle grouping, and nacelle location. For this testing the model was sting mounted on a six component internal strain gage balance entering through the model base. The ground plane portion of the aerodynamic test investigated the same nacelle effects at ground plane locations of full scale W.P. = 239.9, 209.3, 158.9, 108.5, and 7.78 in. At the conclusion of the aerodynamic test period the propulsion effects of various nacelle locations and freestream orientations in the presence of the ground were investigated.